Algonquin Indian Tales eBook

“With a roar of rage and pain the great monster
fell, rolled down into the deep canyon, and died.

“After securing his big flint knife, which dropped
from his belt, the boys hurried into the canyon and
gathered a lot of fine wood for arrow shafts and returned
to their mother. When she asked them where they
had been they replied that they had been to the canyon,
and that they had killed both the mountain lioness
and the great giant.

“At first she could hardly believe this, but
as they had brought the paws of the cubs and the flint
knife of the great giant, why, she just had to believe
it. Great indeed were the rejoicings of the people
at being thus rid of these creatures.”

CHAPTER XVII.

Souwanas Tells of the Queer Way in which Nanahboozhoo
Destroyed Mooshekinnebik, the Last of the Great Monsters.

One cold day Souwanas, who had not been seen by the
children for some time—­he had been away
on a long hunting excursion—­quite unexpectedly
walked into the mission house during the school hours
of Sagastao and Minnehaha. The news of his coming
was hailed with delight by the children, and it required
a certain amount of firmness on the part of the heads
of the household to keep them at their studies.
They were, however, quickly pacified, and returned
with diligence to their lessons, when informed that
their old friend had been invited to stay all day and
doubtless would have a story of some kind for them
when their studies were all over.

The venison and bear’s meat which he had brought
were quickly purchased at a price that well pleased
him. Then he sat down for a rest and a smoke in
the kitchen. Of course he had his usual tiff with
Mary, the nurse, who was very jealous of him because
he had so won the love and confidence of the children.
Souwanas was greatly amused at her jealousy of him,
especially since he was told by one of the Indian
maids that the children had been overheard gravely
debating between themselves which was the better story-teller,
Mary or Souwanas.

When peace again reigned some illustrated volumes
from the library were given to Souwanas for his inspection.
He was not able to read English, but he was very fond
of looking at pictures.

There was one book that had a special fascination
for him, in fact when he first examined it, and had
had some of its illustrations explained to him, it
gave this superstitious Indian about the biggest fright
he had ever received. It was a book in which
were pictured and described many of the great extinct
monsters of the old times. These enormous hideous
creatures, whose bones and fossil remains are still
occasionally to be found, quite alarmed him.
Yet the book was generally about the first one he desired
to see.

On this present visit, however, Souwanas, while as
usual eager again to inspect this book, was observed
to look at it in a very different spirit. The
explanation came out later, when he had the children
around him—­indeed almost the whole household—­listening
to a new Nanahboozhoo story which he had secured from
some famous old Indian whom he had met while far away
on his long hunting excursion.